07-27-2018, 03:03 AM
As usual, our sclerotic county and state officials haven't thought things through enough to realize that there is a real danger of economic disaster in East Hawaii if the National Park stays closed for very long. Jack's going out of business is an early sign of distress, and there will be others. Thanks to a lack of quality facilities, our area is perhaps one of the least dependent on tourism in the state, but tourism is still a significant part of the economy. The future will be grim if somebody doesn't think of something soon.
I have more than one neighbor selling their home and moving far away while they can get top dollar for their homes. As one put it, "I'm getting out now before the bottom drops out." Even a realtor friend, usually ebullient about the market, said that she expects a period of higher prices while lava displaced homes are replaced and then a big crash when lots of people start losing their jobs. I hope these people are wrong, but their point of view makes some sense.
Meanwhile Harry Kim can't imagine a world in which we need less, and not more, county employees. That world may be coming sooner than anyone thinks.
I have more than one neighbor selling their home and moving far away while they can get top dollar for their homes. As one put it, "I'm getting out now before the bottom drops out." Even a realtor friend, usually ebullient about the market, said that she expects a period of higher prices while lava displaced homes are replaced and then a big crash when lots of people start losing their jobs. I hope these people are wrong, but their point of view makes some sense.
Meanwhile Harry Kim can't imagine a world in which we need less, and not more, county employees. That world may be coming sooner than anyone thinks.